Living in Alcobendas and La Moraleja, Madrid (2026)
La Moraleja is Madrid's best-known villa district, inside the ordinary town of Alcobendas, with Runnymede and the Lycée.
What does it cost to live in Alcobendas and La Moraleja? The key numbers
| Alcobendas and La Moraleja | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| One-bed (60 m²), asking rent | 950 to 1,160 EUR a month | idealista price report, September 2026 |
| Three-bed (100 m²), asking rent | 1,580 to 1,930 EUR a month | idealista price report, September 2026 |
| Median declared rent, all sizes | 834 EUR a month (11.8 EUR/m²) | SERPAVI, the Ministry of Housing rent index, 2024, Alcobendas median |
| Room in a shared flat | about 550 EUR a month (city-wide) | idealista room-rental report, Q2 2026 |
| Buying, asking price | 3,853 EUR/m² | Fotocasa price index, September 2026 |
| Public transport | Metro L10 (La Moraleja, Marqués de la Valdavia, Manuel de Falla), Cercanías C-4 (Alcobendas), A-1 | Metro de Madrid and Cercanías network maps |
| To Puerta del Sol | 45-60 min by public transport | Our estimate from Metro de Madrid and Cercanías timetables |
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What is it like to live in Alcobendas and La Moraleja?
Alcobendas is a large, well-served town of flats, offices and company headquarters north of Madrid. La Moraleja, inside it, is a district of large villas on gated streets, home to footballers, executives and many foreign families who come for Runnymede College, the Lycée Français and the offices along the A-1. The two are very different places at very different prices.
The catch: La Moraleja is car-only and costs about 70% more per square metre than Alcobendas as a whole.
Who is Alcobendas and La Moraleja for?
Choose Alcobendas and La Moraleja if
- Your children go to Runnymede, the Lycée or King's College
- You want a villa with a garden and security
- You work at a company on the A-1
Look elsewhere if
- You want a town centre to walk around
- You will not drive
- You want to live among Spanish neighbours
How much is rent in Alcobendas and La Moraleja in 2026?
A one-bedroom flat in Alcobendas and La Moraleja is advertised at about 950 to 1,160 EUR a month, and a three-bedroom at about 1,580 to 1,930 EUR. That is 17.5 EUR per square metre (idealista price report, September 2026) on a 60 m² and a 100 m² flat, plus or minus 10%.
The official figure is lower: the median rent landlords declared to the tax office for 2024 in Alcobendas (6,933 tenancies) was 834 EUR a month, or 11.8 EUR per square metre (SERPAVI, the Ministry of Housing rent index, 2024, Alcobendas median), the 17th highest of the 18 places we compare. La Moraleja has no figure of its own and costs far more: Fotocasa asks 21 EUR/m2 to rent there against 16 for Alcobendas. It is far below the asking price because it covers every tenancy declared for 2024, including people who moved in years ago, and Madrid asking rents have risen since. Arriving now, budget against the asking price.
A room in a shared flat costs about 550 EUR a month across Madrid (idealista room-rental report, Q2 2026).
Is rent capped in Alcobendas and La Moraleja?
No. As of October 2026, Alcobendas is not a declared stressed housing market ("zona tensionada"): the power to declare one lies with the Comunidad de Madrid, which has declared none anywhere in the region and says it will not, so the caps on new contracts in the state housing law, Ley 12/2023, do not apply here.
A landlord can set the starting rent freely. Once you have signed, the yearly increase is limited: for contracts signed since 26 May 2023 it follows the INE's rental index (IRAV), not inflation, and only once a year on the contract anniversary.
How much does it cost to buy in Alcobendas and La Moraleja?
Homes in Alcobendas and La Moraleja are advertised at about 3,853 EUR per square metre (Fotocasa price index, September 2026), the 17th most expensive of the 18 places we compare. On the same benchmark sizes:
- One bedroom, 60 m²: 208,000 to 254,000 EUR
- Three bedrooms, 100 m²: 347,000 to 424,000 EUR
That figure covers the whole of Alcobendas. La Moraleja itself is 6,613 EUR/m2.
What do you pay on top of the price when buying in Alcobendas and La Moraleja?
Budget roughly 6.6% to 7.5% on top of the price. On a typical 386,000 EUR three-bedroom flat in Alcobendas and La Moraleja that is about 23,000 EUR of ITP plus 2,150 to 5,900 EUR in fees, before any mortgage.
Buying a resale home in the Comunidad de Madrid carries a transfer tax, ITP, of 6% of the price, one of the lowest rates in Spain, under Decreto Legislativo 1/2010 of the Comunidad de Madrid (Comunidad de Madrid tax office, October 2026). A main home costing up to 250,000 EUR gets a 10% discount on the tax, so 5.4% in practice, and large families buying a main home pay 4%. Most homes on these pages cost more than 250,000 EUR. A new build pays no ITP: it pays IVA at 10% plus AJD at 0.75%. On top come notary, land registry, gestoría and a lawyer.
On a 386,000 EUR three-bedroom flat in Alcobendas and La Moraleja, the middle of the band above:
- ITP: about 23,000 EUR
- Notary, registry, gestoría and a lawyer: roughly 2,150 to 5,900 EUR
- Buying outright: about 411,000 EUR in total
- With a non-resident mortgage at 70%: about 141,000 EUR of your own money
So the costs on top come to roughly 6.6% to 7.5% of the price. Non-resident lenders generally lend 60–70% of value.
The tax is self-assessed on form 600 with the Comunidad de Madrid within 30 working days of the deed. Rates checked October 2026. This is market information and not tax, legal or financial advice. Confirm anything here with a lawyer before you sign.
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How do you get around from Alcobendas and La Moraleja?
Metro L10 runs from Alcobendas and La Moraleja straight to Nuevos Ministerios and Tribunal, and Cercanías C-4 stops in Alcobendas. Puerta del Sol is 45 to 60 minutes door to door. Inside La Moraleja itself, life runs by car.
Not really. Alcobendas and La Moraleja is workable without a car for everyday life, though you will notice the ride into the centre more than in Chamberí.
Is Alcobendas and La Moraleja good for families?
Yes. Alcobendas and La Moraleja is one of the areas families actually choose. Green space: plenty of green space. Noise: calm most of the time.
International schools nearby: Runnymede College (in La Moraleja), the Lycée Français Saint-Exupéry campus (Alcobendas) and King's College Soto de Viñuelas (about 15 minutes by car).
Can you live in Alcobendas and La Moraleja in English?
Easily. Alcobendas and La Moraleja has one of the largest international populations in Madrid and you will hear English every day. Bureaucracy and contracts still run in Spanish.
How does Alcobendas and La Moraleja compare with Tres Cantos?
The two family options north of Madrid, near the British, French and American schools on that side of the city.
| Area | One-bed asking, EUR/month | Median declared rent 2024, EUR/month | Buy, EUR/m² | Minutes to Sol | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcobendas and La Moraleja | 950 to 1,160 | 834 | 3,853 | 45-60 | Villas, schools, executives |
| Tres Cantos | 760 to 920 | 950 | 4,087 | 55-70 | Green, planned, lowest town rents |
Asking rent: idealista price report, September 2026, district averages inside the city; for the towns idealista or Fotocasa, whichever we could read, named on each town's page. Declared rent: SERPAVI, the Ministry of Housing rent index, 2024 tax returns. Sale: Fotocasa price index, September 2026. Minutes: our estimate, door to Puerta del Sol by public transport. Exact source and date for each figure are on each area's page.
Alcobendas and La Moraleja or Tres Cantos?
La Moraleja is villas, security and Runnymede, at 6,613 EUR/m2 to buy; Tres Cantos is a calm planned town of flats and parks with Casvi and King's College nearby, at 4,087 EUR/m2 and the lowest rents of the towns. Living in Tres Cantos →
What should you know before moving to Alcobendas and La Moraleja?
- Fotocasa asked 6,613 EUR/m2 for La Moraleja and 3,853 EUR/m2 for Alcobendas as a whole in September 2026. (Fotocasa)
- The median declared rent in Alcobendas for 2024 was 834 EUR a month, from 6,933 tenancies. La Moraleja has no separate figure. (SERPAVI)
- Metro line 10 has run to Alcobendas and San Sebastián de los Reyes since 2007. (Metro de Madrid)
How does Alcobendas and La Moraleja rate on noise, transport, space and the rest?
The same twelve measures on all 18 Madrid pages, so two can be read side by side. Our own ratings, not official statistics.
| Getting around without a car | Workable without a car |
|---|---|
| How central it is | A long way from the centre |
| Noise | Calm most of the time |
| Going out in the evening | A handful of local bars |
| Green space | Plenty of green space |
| The sea | No beach |
| With children | Built around families |
| English and the international crowd | English on every street |
| Space for your money | Ordinary value for Madrid |
| Parking | Parking outside your door |
| What you would be renting | Villas and chalets with gardens |
| The buildings | Mostly new build with lifts and terraces |
Where can you read news about Alcobendas and La Moraleja in English?
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